Toaster

ABSTRACT

A toaster having a vertically orientated toasting compartment with a hinged cover a hinged bottom which during a toasting operation is held in a horizontal position by means of a pawl. The pawl is withdrawn to discharge the toasted bread by means of a tripping device controlled by an adjustable timing device which thus determines the toasting period. Means are provided for operatively connecting the bottom, the cover and the timer so that lifting of the cover causes the bottom to be lifted to horizontal position and locked by the pawl and the timing device to start when the cover is subsequently closed. After the period of the timing device has run out, it actuates the tripping device to release the compartment bottom.

United States Patent Paaskesen 1451 Jan. 25, 1972 1541 TOASTER 1,942,8351/1934 Rutenber ..99/335 2,465,577 3/1949 Cox 99/335 x [721 Inventor:Julius Barclay P Pmkesen, Naver- 3,229,613 1/1966 Matzenauer ..99/327land 17-19, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark 22 Filed: June 29 97 PrimaryExaminer-Billy J. Wilhite App]. No.: 50,454

Attorney-Kemon, Palmer & Estabrook [57] ABSTRACT Foreign ApPlicafionPriority A toaster having a vertically orientated toasting compartmentJuly 22 1969 Denmark 3950/69 with a hinged cover a hinged bottom whichduring a toasting operation is held in a horizontal position by means ofa pawl. [52] U S Cl 99/335 99/329 RT 99/39! The pawl is withdrawn todischarge the toasted bread by [51] 1 37/08 means of a tripping devicecontrolled by an adjustable timing [58] pie-Id 337 338 device which thusdetermines the toasting period. Means are 5 provided for operativelyconnecting the bottom, the cover and the timer so that lifting of thecover causes the bottom to be [56] References Cited lifted to horizontalposition and locked by the pawl and the timing device to start when thecover is subsequently closed. UNITED STATES PATENTS After the period ofthe timing device has run out, it actuates the tripping device torelease the compartment bottom. 1,720,800 7/l929 Morrison ..99/39l X1,852,398 4/1932 Bersted ..99/335 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 3O 12 151O 28 B A 1 7 ,as 51 PATENTEDJMWZ 3,636, 5

sum 1 0r 2 FIG.1

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as i as 1 s ATTORNEYS TOASTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a toaster having a casing including a vertical breadcompartment with apertured sidewalls, heating elements disposed adjacentsaid sidewalls outside of said compartment, and a compartment bottomhingedly connected to the casing for pivoting between a horizontalposition in which bread may be supported thereon within saidcompartment, and a downwardly inclined position, a pawl for holding saidbottom in said horizontal position and a timing device arranged forreleasing the pawl.

A toaster of this kind known from US. Pat. No. 1,852,398 comprises atoasting compartment which is open at its top, and separate manuallyoperable means for starting the timing device and for lifting the bottomof the toasting compartment to its operative horizontal position, whenit has previously been released by the timing device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there isprovided a toaster comprising a casing including a vertical breadcompartment with apertured sidewalls, heating elements disposed adjacentsaid sidewalls outside of said compartment, a cover hingedly connectedto said casing to close the upper end of said compartment during atoasting operation, a compartment bottom hingedly connected to saidcasing for pivoting between a horizontal position in which bread may besupported thereon within said compartment, and a downwardly inclinedposition, a pawl for holding said bottom in said horizontal position, atiming device, releasing means operatively connecting said timing devicewith said pawl to release the pawl when the timer has run out, tie meansconnecting .said cover with said bottom so that lifting of said covercauses the bottom to be lifted into its horizontal position, said tiemeans including a lost-motion device, and means connected to said tiemeans for activating said timing device when said cover is lifted.

As compared to the above-discussed known toaster, the operation of atoaster according to the invention is simplified, since it only involvesthat for each toasting operation, the cover has to be lifted, so that abatch of bread slices, buns or the like can be placed in the toastingcompartment, whzreafter the cover is reclosed. As soon as the cover hasbeen lifted, it is ensured that the bottom assumes its horizontalposition and is locked by the pawl, and due to the lost-motion or playin the tie means between the cover and the bottom, the latter may remainhorizontal when the lid is closed. Con sequently, there is only onemember, such as a handle or knob on the cover, which must be manuallyoperated in order to control all internal functions of the toaster. Thisis of particular value when the toaster is used for toasting smallbreads, socalled buns or rolls which are sold together with hamburgers,frankfurters or the like, in which case one operator will have to attendboth to the toasting of the buns and the selling of the hamburgers, etc.

The cover and the bottom may be connected by means of a first tie rodwhich is hinged directly to one of the parts and which has an oblongslot into which a pin fixed to the other part engages. The required lostmotion between the movements of the cover and the bottom'is thusestablished in a simple manner.

The first tie rod may be hinged to the cover, and a second tie rod maybe hinged thereto and provided with an oblong slot in which a pinengages, which is fixed to a tripping arm for the bottom retaining pawl.By using two separate tie rods connecting the cover to the retainingpawl and to the compartment bottom, respectively, a rather wide choicein the dimensioning of the component parts and their respectivemovements is provided,

The tripping arm may be spring loaded for disengaging the retaining pawland, in this case, the timing device may be designed as a simpleespacement. By employing a strong spring for acting upon the trippingarm, the spring is able, at the same time, to act as motive force forthe timing device which, in this manner, can be constructed particularlysimply and inexpensively.

A try may be fitted below the compartment bottom for receiving andaccommodating the toasted bread, and the tray may be provided with acover hinged at its front edge. Between the front and rear edges of thetray cover there may be provided at least one additional hinge joint.When the toaster is operated intermittently, the cover may then be keptclosed, whereby the warm toast is protected against drying out and thesaid hinging of the cover provides the possibility of opening andclosing same without pulling the tray completely out.

The rear edge of the tray cover may be provided with a lug which, in theclosed position of the cover, extends downwards, whereby the free edgeof the cover may be suspended by means of the lug on the front edge ofthe tray in the open positron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

FIG. 1 shows schematically a cross section through an embodiment of thetoaster according to the invention with its parts in the positions theyassume at the beginning of a toasting operation,

FIG. 2 is a corresponding section with the parts shown after thetermination of a toasting operation, the tray and the lowermost part ofthe casing being omitted,

FIG. 3 is a section corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the position of themovable parts subsequent to the cover having been raised, and

FIG. 4 is a section on a larger scale along the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The toaster illustrated in the drawings has acasing or housing comprising a front wall 1, a rear wall 2, a top wall 3and two end walls, not shown in detail. The top wall 3 has a centralopening leading to a vertical compartment 4 which serves to accommodatethe bread slices or buns to be toasted and which in the lateraldirection, is delimited by two grids 5. In the casing, on the sides ofthe grids 5 remote from the compartment 4, there are heating elementsschematically shown as electrical incandescent coils 6, the radiant heatof which, through the grids 5, brings about the toasting of the bread.

The bottom of the compartment 4 is formed by a bottom plate 7 which ispivotal about a horizontal hinge shaft or pin 8 situated in theproximity of the rear wall 2. In the course of a toasting operation, thebottom plate 7 is kept in its position shown in FIG. I by means of aretaining pawl 9 constructed as a bellcrank lever, which is rotatablearound a pivot pin 10 and is spring loaded clockwise by means of aspring 1]. In its extreme position shown in FIG. 1, the pawl 9 engages afixed stop 12, which may, for instance, be fitted to one end wall of thecasing.

A pin 13 is secured to the retaining pawl 9 and guided in an oblong slot14 in a bar 15 which, by means ofa hingejoint 16 is rotatably connectedto a tripping arm 17 which is pivotal on a horizontal shaft 18. Atorsion spring 19 coiled around the stationary shaft 18 is, at one end,secured to the shaft and the other end of the spring engages a pin 20 onthe tripping arm 17, which is thereby biased counterclockwise as seen inFIG. I.

The bread compartment 4 is, at the top, closed by a cover 21 which canbe pivoted upwards about hinge pins 22 at the uppermost end of the rearwall 2. The cover 21 is moved manually by means of a handle 23 fixed toits front edge. A hinge bracket 24 secured to the rear edge of the coveris, at 25, pivotally connected with a tie rod 26 which, at its lowermostend, has an oblong slot 27 wherein a pin 28 secured to the bottom plate7 engages. A further tie rod 30 is hingedly connected to an intermediatepoint 29 of the tie rod 26. The

tie rod 30 has, at its lowermost end, an oblong slot 31, wherein a pin32 fixed to the tripping arm 17 engages. in the embodiment shown, thepin 32 is a screw which is threaded into the arm 17, vide also FIG. 4.The pin 32 serves, moreover, as an axis of rotation for a short arm 33which extends parallel to the rod 30, its uppermost end being, however,angled to form a ratchet 34.

A timing device designated by 35 is, in a manner not shown in detail,fixed to the casing of the toaster, for example, to one end wallthereof, and the timing device has an output wheel 36 with ratchetteeth, with which the ratchet 34 is adapted to engage, The engagementbetween the ratchet 34 and the wheel 36 normally is ensured by means ofa tension spring 37 between the tripping arm 17 and the arm 33. Thetorsion spring 19 acting upon the arm 17 produces the requisite motivepower for the timing device 35 which, consequently, may be merely asimple espacement comprising one or more rotating shafts with brakes,such as airbrakes, serving to limit and determine the possiblerotational velocity of the output wheel 36 under the influence of thespring 19. An anchor espacement provided with weights may be used as adelaying means.

in the bottom of the toasting casing, underneath .the mechanismsdescribed above, a tray 38 for receiving and accommodating the toastedbread is provided. The tray 38 which, in a manner not shown, can beguided relative to the casing so that it can be pulled out therefrom,has a cover 39 which is hingedly connected to the front edge of the tray38. As shown, the cover may comprise two sections connected to eachother by means of a hinge 40 parallel to the hinge 4 at the front edgeof the tray. The rear edge of the cover is constructed with an angularlybent tab or lug 42 which extends inwardly towards the underside of thecover, so that in the open position the cover may be suspended on thefront edge of the tray 38, as shown in FIG. 1 in dot-and-dash lines. Thesaid hinging at the center of the cover 39 results in that, inter alia,it is possible to open and close the cover while the tray 38 is locatedinside the casing, without requiring an excessively large aperture inthe front wall of the casing.

As shown in the drawings, the tie rod 30 may be composed of two pieceswhich are connected to each other by means of screws 43 which passthrough oblong slits 44, whereby a fine adjustment of the length of therod 30 and thereby of the associated retaining mechanism for the bottomplate 7 is possible. A resilient, telescopic joint 45 may form part ofthe tie rod 26, permitting a temporary extension of the rod 26 duringthe pivoting of the cover 21 around the hinge 22.

The period of operation of the timing device 35 may be adjustable bymeans of a mechanism shown in the drawings, which comprises an arm 47which, at 48, is hingedly connected with the housing of the timingdevice. From the hinge 48, the arm 47 first extends forward in thedirection toward the ratchet 34 with an angular portion, the apex 49 ofwhich protrudes beyond the circumference of the wheel 36 and which thusis able to engage with the ratchet 34, cf. also FIG. 4. From the apex49, the arm 47 extends rearwardly and terminates in an adjustment handle50, which may extend at an angle with the arm 47 through one end wall ofthe casing so that it can be actuated from outside. in connectionherewith, there may as shown in HQ 1, be provided a scale 51 which isvisible from outside and which indicates the duration of the operatingperiod of the timing device.

As mentioned, FIG. 1 shows the toaster in its normal operationalposition, in which the compartment 4 may be completely or partly filledwith bread, by way of example so-called frankfurter rolls or buns, whichare comparatively small and elongated and which can be stacked on top ofeach other in one or several rows, depending upon the dimensions of thecompartment 4. The buns thereby rest on the bottom plate 7 which is inthe horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 and through the grids they areexposed to radiation from the heating elements 6. While this is goingon, the cover 21 is closed, as also shown in FIG. 1.

The cover 21 has to be raised into the position shown in FIG. 3 in orderto put the buns into the compartment 4. The tie rods 26 and 30 areraised hereby and due to the engagement between the slot 31 in rod 30and the screw 32, the tripping arm 17 is pivoted clockwise into itshighest position. The arm 33 with the ratchet 34 is also raised and thespring 37 urges the ratchet 34 into engagement with the teeth on thewheel 36 when the arm 17 is in its said highest position. The engagementbetween the slot 27 in the tie rod 26 and the pin 28 on the bottom plate7 ensures, furthermore, that the bottom plate, if it was not already inits highest, horizontal position beforehand, is raised into thisposition so that the compartment 4 is now closed at the bottom.

When the cover 21 is closed again, the engagement between the ratchet 34and the wheel 36 has the effect that the arm 17, which via screw 32 isrigidly connected to the ratchet, remains in the position shown in FIG.3. However, as the arm is subjected to a torque exerted by the torsionspring 19, it will subsequently move slowly downwards, that is to saycounterclockwise, the speed of the movement being determined by thetiming device 35. FIG. 1 illustrates an intermediate position during thepivoting movement of the arm 17. It will be seen that the pin 13 on theholding pawl 9 is situated between the ends of the slot 14 in the bar15, so that the spring 11 still keeps the pawl 9 in abutment against thestop 12, and consequently the pawl holds the bottom plate 7 in position,

At a given moment, the ratchet 34 impinges upon the arm 47 at the apex49 of the arm and, during the continued pivoting of the tripping arm 47consequently forces the arm 33 with the ratchet 34 away from engagementwith the wheel 36 against the force of the spring 37, when the ratchetis completely disengaged from the teeth of the wheel, noting preventsthe spring 19 from urging the arm 17 downwards, whereby the topmost endof the slot 14 comes into contact with the pin 13 and thereby pivots theretaining pawl counter clockwise to release the bottom plate 7 whichthen is free to swing down into the position shown in full lines in Fl6. 2. The duration of the said period from the closing of the cover tothe releasing of the bottom plate is obviously determined by the angularposition of the arm 47 relative to its pivot point 48.

When the bottom plate 7 is swung down, the buns slide down from thecompartment 4 into the tray 38 along the plate, and they can be removedfrom the tray at once or later on, as desired. When a fresh batch ofbuns is to be toasted, all that is needed is to open the cover 21,whereby the tie rod 26 again raises the bottom plate 7 into a horizontalposition via the slot 27 and the pin 28, while, at the same time, thetie rod 30 raises the tripping arm 17 and moves the ratchet 34 into itsstarting position in engagement with the wheel 36, as described above.When the tripping arm 17 is raised, the retaining pawl 9 issimultaneously freed, and under the action of its spring I l, the pawlpivot can pivot back into its operative position to hold the bottomplate 7 in position after said plate has been raised.

It will be expedient to equip the toaster with a warning lamp whichlights up when the bottom plate 7 is in its horizontal position, so thatduring this period the operator is warned against opening the cover 21,which would start a new operating period of the timing device 35. Such awarning lamp may be connected to an electrical circuit comprising acontact actuated by the bottom plate, It is obvious that additionallamps or indicator means may be provided which, for example are able toindicate whether the heating elements 6 are switched on.

What I claim is:

l. A toaster comprising a casing including a vertical bread compartmentwith apcrtured sidewalls, heating elements disposed adjacent saidsidewalls outside of said compartment, a cover hingedly connected tosaid casing to close the upper end of said compartment during a toastingoperation, a compartment bottom hingedly connected to said casing forpivoting between a horizontal position, in which bread may be supportedthereon within said compartment, and a downwardly inclined position, apawl for holding said bottom in said horizontal position, a timingdevice, releasing means operatively connecting said timing device withsaid pawl to release the pawl when the timer has run out, tie meansconnecting said cover with said bottom, so that lifting of said covercauses the bottom to be lifted into its horizontal position, said tiemeans including a lost-motion device, and means connected to said coverfor starting said timing device when said cover is lifted and reclosed.

2, A toaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tie means comprises afirst tie rod hingedly connected to said cover, an oblong slot in saidfirst tie rod and a pin secured to said bottom and engaging in saidslot.

3. A toaster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pawl release meanscomprises a tripping arm pivotally connected to said casing at one endand connected with a release lever for said pawl at its opposite end,said arm having a pin intermediate its ends, and said tie meanscomprises a second tie rod hingedly connectedto said first tie rod andhaving an oblong slot, in which said pin secured to the tripping armengages.

4. A toaster as claimed in claim 3, wherein a ratchet is carried by saidtripping'arm, and said timing device has an output ratchet wheelnormally engaging with said ratchet.

5. A toaster as claimed in claim 4, wherein said ratchet is pivotallyconnected with said tripping arm, and spring means are provided forbiasing said ratchet towards said ratchet wheel.

6. A toaster as claimed in claim 1 comprising means accessible from theexterior of said casing for manually adjusting the running period ofsaid timing device.

7. A toaster as claimed in claim 1 comprising a retractable tray mountedin said casing below said compartment bottom for receiving toasted breadsliding down said bottom.

8. A toaster as claimed in claim 7, wherein said tray has a coverhingedly connected to the tray at its front edge and provided withadditional hinge means intermediate its front and rear edges.

9. A toaster as claimed in claim 8, wherein a downwardly bent lug isprovided at the rear edge of said tray cover for suspending the openedcover on the front edge of the tray.

1. A toaster comprising a casing including a vertical bread compartmentwith apertured sidewalls, heating elements disposed adjacent saidsidewalls outside of said compartment, a cover hingedly connected tosaid casing to close the upper end of said compartment during a toastingoperation, a compartment bottom hingedly connected to said casing forpivoting between a horizontal position, in which bread may be supportedthereon within said compartment, and a downwardly inclined position, apawl for holding said bottom in said horizontal position, a timingdevice, releasing means operatively connecting said timing device withsaid pawl to release the pawl when the timer has run out, tie meansconnecting said cover with said bottom, so that lifting of said covercauses the bottom to be lifted into its horizontal position, said tiemeans including a lost-motion device, and means connected to said coverfor starting said timing device when said cover is lifted and reclosed.2. A toaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tie means comprises afirst tie rod hingedly connected to said cover, an oblong slot in saidfirst tie rod and a pin secured to said bottom and engaging in saidslot.
 3. A toaster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pawl releasemeans comprises a tripping arm pivotally connected to said casing at oneend and connected with a release lever for said pawl at its oppositeend, said arm having a pin intermediate its ends, and said tie meanscomprises a second tie rod hingedly connected to said first tie rod andhaving an oblong slot, in which said pin secured to the tripping armengages.
 4. A toaster as claimed in claim 3, wherein a ratchet iscarried by said tripping arm, and said timing device has an outputratchet wheel normally engaging with said ratchet.
 5. A toaster asclaimed in claim 4, wherein said ratchet is pivotally connected withsaid tripping arm, and spring means are provided for biasing saidratchet towards said ratchet wheel.
 6. A toaster as claimed in claim 1comprising means accessible from the exterior of said casing formanually adjusting the running period of said timing device.
 7. Atoaster as claimed in claim 1 comprising a retractable tray mounted insaid casing below said compartment bottom for receiving toasted breadsliding down said bottom.
 8. A toaster as claimed in claim 7, whereinsaid tray has a cover hingedly connected to the tray at its front edgeand provided with additional hinge means intermediate its front and rearedges.
 9. A toaster as claimed in claim 8, wherein a downwardly bent lugis provided at the rear edge of said tray cover for suspending theopened cover on the front edge of the tray.